title: A further test of the equation of lifespan by C. elegans: effective activation energy for aging and lifespan.
abstract: We previously proposed a rate theory of chemical reaction as well as a lifespan equation derived by a stochastic fluctuation theory. Both were applied to biodemographic data by C. elegans to quantitatively explain that respiratory activity declines exponentially with age and that it has a physiological decline rate and a finite value (threshold) in advanced age. In this work, using the poikilothermic nature of Caenorhabditis elegans, we demonstrate the further validity of the rate theory of chemical reaction as well as the lifespan equation by changing two methods. First, to test the appropriateness of the lifespan equation from another aspect, lifespan assays were conducted by varying the time interval of observation employing the egl-1 mutant. The results indicate that, as the time interval is reduced, mortality rates gradually approach the force of mortality expected from the fitting equation of the survival curve. Second, based on the dependence of lifespan on the temperature of the culture, the physiological decline rate, and the onset of biodemographic aging, we show that the effective activation energy or energy barrier for aging and lifespan may be closely related to the standard free-energy change of ATP or ADP for a wild type and some lifespan-related mutants of C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Course of Biological Science and Technology, School of High-Technology for Human Welfare, Tokai University, 317 Nishino, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0395, Japan. sudasai@wing.ncc.u-tokai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D008136:Longevity; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D013696:Temperature; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C112486:EGL-1 protein, C elegans; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C108831:daf-16 protein, C elegans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C510541:AAK-2 protein, C elegans; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases